


clockwork little happiness

by marquelict



Series: HP one shots [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Soft Draco, draco is the best dad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:20:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24730708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marquelict/pseuds/marquelict
Summary: Theo and Draco spend a day with Scorpius in the autumn leaves that surround Malfoy Manor.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Theodore Nott
Series: HP one shots [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1790935
Comments: 5
Kudos: 50





	clockwork little happiness

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CAIOLOGY](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CAIOLOGY/gifts).



> “Happiness, knowledge, not in another place but this place, not for another hour but this hour.” — Walt Whitman

It was fall. 

The trees that bordered Malfoy Manor sank beneath the returning chill. Leaves of golden brown and pumpkin orange clung to the branches and fell subsequently into the grassy hillside. The sky, at the moment, was a pleasurable blue and perfectly cloudless.

Draco inhaled deeply and took a step outside. 

“Come on, Scorpius, darling,” Draco called. “Theo’s on his way up here now.”

A light scuffling came from inside the Manor as Scorpius nearly tripped over his own laces, scrambling to reach his father. He was bundled up in a thick mossy colored cloak, a scarf wrapped twice over around his neck, with a wide smile plastered on his rosy cheeks.

He made it to Draco’s leg and clung to the fabric of his father’s pants. “Where is he?” Scorpius complained. “I don’t see him?”

“You’re too short to see him, let me lift you up.”

Scorpius unlatched himself from Draco’s pant leg and stretched his arms up, hands grappling at the air. With a small smile Draco lifted his son, holding him tight to his chest as Scorpius scoured the horizon for Theo.

“I see him!” Scorpius shouted gleefully into Draco’s ear. His father winced. 

Theo, who had just come through the wrought iron gates that concealed Malfoy Manor from the muggle world, was currently trudging up the hill to meet them. He wore a thin black cloak that fell to his ankles, his brown hair fluttering in the light breeze. 

Draco smiled. “Let’s go meet him, then.”

“Okay,” Scorpius gushed. He wrapped his short arms around Draco’s neck as his father started down the hill to meet their companion.

The walk was short and the silence blissful. Scorpius waved to Theo, however, with a grin. It had been a month since they’d last seen one another. Theo had been in the States for a work venture, which had upset both Draco and Scorpius.

“Theo!” Scorpius shouted.

Draco set his son down and the young Malfoy rushed to meet Theo. The brunet lifted the boy into the air and hugged him.

“Little scorpion,” Theo said, his voice a whisper. “It’s been a while.”

“You missed my birthday.” Scorpius pulled his face into a pout as Theo set him back down in the grass.

“Did I?”

“Yes,” Scorpius said, still frowning.

“Remind me,” Theo said, “How old are you now?”

Scorpius held up four fingers, his frown forgotten and instead replaced with a beaming smile. “I’m four now! Did you know, father says I’m growing up too fast.”

Draco reached out and ruffled his son’s hair. “Yes, yes you are, Scorpius.”

Theo wrapped his arm around Draco’s waist and pulled him close, still looking down at the young boy who had turned his attention to a ladybug in the tall, dying grass. He pressed a soft kiss against Draco’s cheek. 

“Sorry about missing his birthday,” Theo whispered.

“He doesn’t mind too much,” Draco said, sparing a glance at his son who was now prodding at the insect. “He loves the stuffed dragon you got him, however,  _ mon cheri _ .”

“That’s good, I wasn’t sure if he would.”

Draco turned to look at Theo, his eyes tracing the jaw of his partner with earnest. “He adores dragons,” Draco said softly. “And he adores you.”

Theo chuckled, his eyes meeting Draco’s. He put a delicate hand on Draco’s cheek and pulled him in for a kiss. It had been ages since their last and Draco was starved.

A mock-gagging sound found Draco’s ears not even seconds later.

“Yuck!” Scorpius said, sticking out his tongue. “You guys are so gross.”

Draco smiled down at his son before kneeling to meet his round little face. “It’s just a kiss, Scorpius,” Draco teased, pressing the tip of his finger on Scorpius’s nose. “I give you kisses all the time.”

“Not on the mouth,” Scorpius said, pushing his father’s hand away from his face. “That’s so  _ gross _ .” He mock-gagged again, scrunching up his nose. 

Draco pondered this for a moment. “So if I give Theo a kiss on the cheek then it isn’t gross?”

“Yes.” Scorpius nodded. 

Theo had placed a hand on Draco’s shoulder and was watching the whole ordeal between father and son with a smile. He’d missed them so much.

“Interesting,” Draco said, pursing his lips in fake thought. 

And without a moment’s hesitation, Draco pulled his son close and pressed a kiss on his forehead. Scorpius stuck out his tongue again. “Stop it!” he complained. “That’s so gross. I don’t like kisses.”

“I thought you said not on the mouth kisses weren’t gross?”

Scorpius kicked at the grass. “It’s all wet,” he said. “I hate it.”

“Okay, then no more kisses for now,” Draco conceded. He stood, taking his son’s hand in his own.

“Where are we going?” Theo asked as the trio began to walk. 

“The edge of the forest,” Draco said, his voice light as it was carried off by the wind. “I decided Scorpius can indulge in one day of… nature activities.” He sneered at the thought. But it was his son, and he loved his son, so he would get his hands dirty today if it meant his son was happy.

“Father, I wanna jump in the leaves,” Scorpius said, yanking his hand out of his father’s grip. 

“Go ahead,” Draco replied. “Don’t let me stop you.”

The young boy darted off, his little legs carrying him as fast as they could to a large clump of leaves that sat near the edge of the forest. He jumped into the array of brown, yellow, and orange, and triggered the crinkling sound of dried leaves crushing beneath his weight. 

Scorpius laughed gleefully, grabbing handfuls of the leaves and tossing them up into the air.

“He’s nothing like you, huh,” Theo murmured, placing his chin on Draco’s shoulder. 

“On the contrary,” Draco said back, “He is everything I never got to be.”

The sound of leaves crushing once more moved Draco’s eyes from his partner’s face. His son had jumped into the leaves for a second time and was now stomping on them furiously.

“Scorpius, darling, what are you doing?” Draco asked, brows furrowed.

Scorpius continued stomping as he answered his father’s question. “I like the sound.”

“How about this, Scorpius,” Theo said, “Why don’t your father and I join you in… mashing those leaves to bits? It’ll be like a whole orchestra of leaf crushing.”

Scorpius thought on this for a minute, not entirely sure he wanted them to join or not. He weighed out the pros and cons and then eventually said, “Okay.”

Theo beamed and moved to join Scorpius in the pile of leaves. They were becoming flatter every passing second, but Draco cast a spell — wandless and wordless — and all the leaves regained their satisfying crunch. 

He, however, had not joined his son and partner in the leaf stomping business. Instead, a smile was planted on his face, warm and soft, as he watched them.

It had been two years since his divorce with Astoria. Two years since he ran into Theo at Diagon Alley and rekindled their friendship. Two years since they started a relationship. Two years at Draco was finally at peace with life, at peace with himself and his sexuality, at peace with the way that his son had been raised without prejudice ingrained in him.

“Draco!”

The tall blond was shaken from his thoughts. Theo stood beside Scorpius in the leaves, his hand wrapped around the younger boy’s hand. 

“Yes?” Draco asked, crossing his arms.

“Why didn’t you join us?” Scorpius pouted. His silver eyes were starting to well with tears. 

Draco’s face immediately pulled into a frown. “Oh, I… I didn’t want to get my pants all dirty,” he said. All this did was make Scorpius cry harder.

Theo tilted his head, a ‘you better do something to fix this’ look on his face. Draco looked down at his pants, back at Theo, down at his crying son, and sighed. 

_ Oh, well _ , Draco thought miserably.

He stepped forward into the pile of leaves and Scorpius’s stream of tears stopped almost immediately. A small smile crossed his lips, his face still red, as he rushed into Draco’s arms. 

“ _ Oof _ ,” Draco let out a small breath as his son barreled into him, knocking him into the leaves. 

A giggle escaped Scorpius’s mouth as Draco’s eyes widened, realizing where he now sat. From above Theo began to laugh and Draco shot him a hard glare.

“Having fun down there, Draco?” Theo asked.

“ _ Sure _ ,” Draco muttered sarcastically.

But he was with his son, who was a smiling fool without a care in the world, and he was with Theo, who made Draco actually give a damn about love. Scorpius was happy. Theo was happy. And thus, Draco was happy. 

“Now get your arse down here, Theo,” Draco said.

Scorpius gasped. “Father, you’re not supposed to use that word.”

Theo laughed heartily as Draco gaped at his son. The brunet sank down into the leaves beside Draco and his son, embracing them both in his arms. 

They were a family. Nothing was better than that.


End file.
